Students celebrate French Education

‘We’re teaching the students, especially the younger ones, that it is good to speak French’

TRURO – It’s a week filled with fun, laughter, celebrating and the French language.

That’s what has been happening at Ecole acadienne de Truro since Monday for French Education Promotion Week.

“Usually, all throughout the year, it’s enforced that we speak French and this week is sort of telling us why,” said Eilish Keaveney, a Grade 9 student at the school on Aberdeen Street. “By celebrating French Education Promotion Week, we’re teaching the students, especially the younger ones, that it is good to speak French and some of the benefits.”

Eilish said the language is one the students will use their entire lives, whether it is in their career, education or recreational aspects.

DeAnne Pelchat, the school and community development agent, said the school has been celebrating French Education Promotion Week for the past eight years.

“We celebrate that all the kids have the choice to be here,” she said, while preparing for a Corn Pops toss with students in the higher grades during their morning recess on Wednesday. “We celebrate together and have fun together, and accentuate the fact that these students are taking that extra step.

“These students have the opportunities to live and practice in French.”

For Eilish, one of her favourite events of the week was the photo rally that started Monday and ends on Friday.

“It’s done as a class and there are different themes, showing things like ‘school spirit’ or ‘dysfunctional families.’ We have to have at least half of the class in the photo. It’s really fun,” she said.

“It just makes it fun for everyone to speak French,” she said. “It’s just our normal school days, but we have theme days and activities planned every recess.”

Wednesday’s theme day was movies, and Violette’s class dressed up as the characters from Annie. Another class was dressed as minions from Despicable Me, while another class brought the movie Grease to life.